Speciale Invest, a prominent early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in India, has announced the impending launch of a new fund totaling INR 1,400 crore (approximately $168 million). As reported in the article titled “Speciale Invest to Launch INR 1,400 Cr Fund” by startupnews.fyi, this third fund marks a significant expansion in the firm’s efforts to back cutting-edge deep-tech and frontier technology startups.
The new fund is expected to be deployed across 30 to 35 new investments over the coming years, maintaining the firm’s focus on technology-driven companies that aim to address foundational challenges across sectors such as space technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, clean tech, and data infrastructure. Speciale Invest plans to continue its disciplined early-stage strategy, typically investing from pre-seed through Series A stages.
Co-founders Vishesh Rajaram and Arjun Rao have emphasized the firm’s commitment to backing bold technology bets that push the boundaries of scientific innovation—a theme that has defined Speciale’s portfolio since its inception in 2017. Their previous funds have supported startups such as Agnikul Cosmos, GalaxEye, Ultraviolette Automotive, and The ePlane Company, all of which operate in highly technical arenas with long development timelines.
Speaking about the new fund, Rajaram noted that India has reached a critical inflection point in home-grown innovation, and this fund aims to enable the next generation of companies poised to scale globally. He also highlighted the broader investor interest in deep-tech as global markets increasingly recognize the strategic importance of technologies underpinning national security, climate resilience, and digital infrastructure.
The announcement comes amid a broader uptick in investor appetite for deep-tech solutions, even as funding across broader startup ecosystems has cooled in recent quarters. Despite headwinds in late-stage funding and consumer-facing ventures, early-stage funds with a clear technological thesis have continued to attract institutional and sovereign interest.
The firm expects a significant portion of the new fund’s capital to come from domestic institutional investors, family offices, and a select group of global limited partners, reflecting growing confidence in the maturity and potential returns of India’s innovation economy.
Speciale Invest’s move to raise an enhanced third fund underscores its long-term commitment to fostering innovation at the convergence of science and entrepreneurship. As the global race intensifies to develop proprietary technologies in aerospace, energy, and automation, Indian venture capital firms like Speciale are positioning themselves as critical enablers of future industrial and economic transformation.
